Like Father Like Son
by savedprincess85
Summary: James Potter has to face his greatest fear. Written for the QLFC Quarter-finals


Quarter-Finals (Game C)

CHASER 2: Write a story using your Chaser 3's main characters from their first QL fic this season (You do not need to use the same pairings)

Main Characters from the story were James Potter and Sirius Black from Round 9- our current chaser 3's first round.

Bonus Prompts: Honeydukes, Dementor, and Quote: To be clear, the source of shame wasn't that they were all thieves, it was that they'd been caught.' — Fire and Heist, Sarah Beth Durst

Word Count: 1706

Snow was falling on the ground as James and Sirius walked out of the castle toward Hogsmeade. Mr. Filch had detained them before marking them off the list. James shook his head at the miserly old man who had been trying to warn them about the consequences of bringing Dungbombs back to the castle. He remembered something about chains and toes but had tuned the rest of the lecture out and demanded they be cleared to leave the castle.

"Old Filch has a few screws loose. He and my mum would really get along," Sirius spoke ruefully as he wrapped his gold and red scarf tighter around his neck.

James just laughed and walked on, hands stuffed in his pockets. As third years, this was their first year to visit Hogsmeade, and the novelty had yet to wear off. Zonko's, Honeydukes, and a quick trip into the Three Broomsticks to flirt with the proprietress was the order of the day.

Sirius commented with a jovial laugh, "Could you imagine? My mum and Filch having tea together? 'Oh, Mr. Filch, your ideas are wonderful. The little cretins need to have the fear of Merlin put into them. Chains are a must in a school.'" He finished in a falsetto.

James laughed and spoke in a growl that clearly mocked Mr. Filch, "Chains! By their toes from the dungeon! Pull out their toenails! The little snots need to be taught to respect their elders!"

The best friends spent the trip to Hogsmeade laughing and mocking Mrs. Black and Mr. Filch. Once they arrived in the small town, they walked straight to Honeydukes where they planned to buy chocolate, sugar quills, and pepper imps.

An arm in a tattered sweater appeared around James's shoulders. James looked over at the boy attached to the arm and grinned. "Moony!"

"I heard that Professor Alexander will have us tackling a Boggart later this week in Defense. We should stock up on candy," Remus informed James and Sirius as he grabbed a handful of chocolate frogs.

"Well if we must wait in line in class, I need sugar. Take me to the sugar quills!" Sirius laughed and walked to the display of sugary snacks. He grabbed various types and stuffed them in his basket.

Remus laughed and pulled away from James and tossed a box of Bertie Botts at Sirius from the display next to him. "What's your worst fear, James?"

"We all know yours." James grinned at his friend as he tossed a bag of gummy spiders.

Remus groaned, "Yeah, well, not everyone can have an issue like mine. What are you afraid of?"

James dropped the pile of sweets in front of the witch at the cash register. "Good morning. I'll cover all of this and anything Remus wants as well."

Remus blushed and leaned in to whisper in his friend's ear, "James, no. I can cover my own sweets."

"Nah! I got you." James winked at Remus and dropped the necessary Galleons on the counter. Once the witch had bagged their candy, James picked it up and walked with Remus and Sirius out the door. James searched the bag as he walked and tossed a frog to Remus.

The friends walked through the village, laughing and joking. The day wore on as they visited Zonko's and the Three Broomsticks. Snow was falling much more heavily than in the morning as they walked back to the castle.

Sirius lobbed a snowball at James, and a snowball fight ensued. The battle involved not only the three best friends but with other boys who also joined in. By the time someone called out that it was dinner time, James and Sirius were wet from melting snow, and their cheeks were tinged red with exertion and chill.

"You never did tell me what your biggest fear is," Remus commented as they walked into the Great Hall, none of the boys noticed the group of Slytherins listening to their conversation as they walked.

"I'm not telling you. You'll find out in Defence," James retorted in frustration. He didn't want to tell his best friends his fear.

Sirius looked at Remus and said quietly, "Mine is my mother making Reg get the Dark Mark and serve Voldemort."

Remus and James all looked morose at Sirius's very rational and probable fear. They all knew it could happen. James was the first to recover. "Fine, I'll tell you mine, but you better not laugh."

"It's not clowns, is it?" Peter asked, laughing at his joke.

James rolled his eyes and said, "No, it's Dementors. They creep me out. Terrifying, really. I don't think I would survive a day in Azkaban if I were ever sent there. I would die of fright. I mean, seriously, they suck out people's souls!"

Sirius looked at James in disbelief. "You, James Potter, are afraid of Dementors? I don't believe it. When would you ever face one? You are likely never going to be sent to Azkaban."

"He's right, mate," Remus added. "You have nothing to fear. That's some irrational fear there."

The four friends sat down at their table and never noticed the group of Slytherins as they walked behind them to their seats.

The next day, James was walking to the library to finish his Transfiguration homework. It was due the next day, but his mind was not on his unfinished essay. Dementors terrified him. Nightmares had plagued his sleep the night before, mostly of Dementors finding him and his friends. In the nightmare, he had watched as his friends' souls were sucked out first then his own. He had woken in a sweat.

James jumped when a hand grabbed his elbow and pulled him to a stop.

"Hey! Did you not hear me calling your name?" Sirius asked, worry lacing his voice.

James shook his head. "No, sorry, mate. I was thinking about my essay. I can't believe I still have twelve inches to write."

"Don't lie to me. I know you had a nightmare last night. What was it about?"

Running his fingers through his hair, James tried to think of something to say to his best friend, when he noticed something moving down the corridor toward the two friends.

A Dementor.

"Bloody hell! How did a Dementor get in the school?" Sirius asked as he backed away from the non-being. James stood frozen, unable to move away from his nightmare.

"James, run!" Sirius called, hoping to jar his friend out of his stupor.

It was enough to make James aware of what he needed to do. "Sirius, run. Get a professor. I'll hold it off."

"You can't hold it off! How do you even fight a Dementor?" Sirius called out and moved back to his friend who now had his wand out.

James cast the only spell he could think of, "_Petrificus Totalus_!"

The Dementor froze in place. Both boys looked at each other in shock. The first-year spell had worked.

Sirius said, "I'll go get Professor McGonagall. She'll know what to do." He turned and ran down the corridor toward his Head of House's office.

James waited, still unable to move closer to his nightmare, but realized that there was no way that a Dementor could be stopped by so easy a spell.

A few minutes later, he could hear footsteps behind him. He turned to see Sirius and Professor McGonagall walking toward him.

"What is going on here, Mr. Potter? Young Mr. Black has fed me some…" Professor McGonagall stopped speaking when she saw the figure down the corridor. She waved her wand, and an ethereal tabby cat appeared from its tip. It looked at her and walked around, but did not attack the Dementor.

"That, boys, is not a Dementor. Let us see what it truly is," she spoke severely as she waved her wand again. The tabby cat disappeared and the cloak flew off the figure. Under the cloak was Severus Snape on the shoulders of the slightly stockier Regulus Black. She unfroze the two students and instructed Snape to return to the floor.

James hated Snape with everything in him, mostly for being a Slytherin but also because Snape was friends with Lily Evans. Regulus was Sirius's brother.

"Do either of you care to explain why you are posing as a Dementor on school grounds?" Professor McGonagall intoned.

Regulus spoke up first, "We heard Potter talking about his biggest fear with Black and Lupin. We thought it would be funny to scare him a little. We weren't going to hurt him. It was funny too. You should have seen the look on their faces." Regulus was laughing at the end of his explanation. Snape, however, was glowering toward the two best friends.

"Detention, for the next week. My office after dinner. I am astounded at the two of you," Professor McGonagall remonstrated the two Slytherins. She turned to James and Sirius. "You two will also be meeting in my office once a week until you master the Patronus Charm. Mr. Potter, if you have a fear, it is smart to know how to face it, so you don't freeze when it's life or death."

James and Sirius nodded their heads in unison as they watched the Slytherins follow McGonagall down the corridor.

As they disappeared from sight, James let out a breath. "What's a Patronus Charm?"

"I think it's the charm that caused the tabby to come out her wand. I can't wait to get Snape back. He wanted to hurt you. Reg, he was just doing it for fun. Man, I wish he had been sorted into Gryffindor! We need to plan payback for Snape, though," Sirius said.

James nodded and continued to walk down the corridor toward the library. His heartbeat was returning to normal. He was going to learn to fight Dementors! Remus and Peter weren't going to believe the afternoon he had just experienced.

The Summer of 1995

Sirius sat in Grimmauld Place waiting for Harry to arrive. He had been thinking of all the stories he wanted to share about James. One, in particular, came to mind that he thought Harry would find some benefit and encouragement from.

Harry truly was his father's son.


End file.
